You are What you Absorb………

Did you know that our gut contains 2/3 of our immune system, and 10 times more cells than the rest of our body combined, PLUS has a greater metabolic load than our liver?

So, with that said, wouldn’t it be paramount that we provide our body with the most nourishing food possible?

Food that is going to provide our body with a range of nutrients from various food groups, and provide the fuel that is needed to live our busy modern-day lives.

Food that is fresh, and as close to how nature made it, whenever possible.

But for some this is easier said than done, especially when we are bombarded with so many conflicting messages on social media. And every time we open our Facebook or Instagram account, up pops sponsored pages promoting fast weight loss with just 1 pill a day, or the latest and greatest diet that is going to give you the ‘perfect’ body.

But what is the ‘perfect’ body when we don’t have our health? When we spend more time feeling exhausted and rundown, or constantly battling another cold.

So instead of carrying around the old mantra off “you are what you eat”, replace it with a positive mantra that focuses on your health in a holistical approach, and think “you are what you absorb”.

Start to consider each meal you prepare.

Does it have a wide range of seasonal vegetables from various colour groups, or have you limited it to 1 or 2?

Do you tend to stick to the same meals, vegetables and grains every day, or eat a lot of packaged and processed food?

These are important questions to ask yourself, because you may find that you are limiting the amount of nutrients you’re currently absorbing, through choosing foods from only a few food groups.

Our goal, is to eat at least 35 different kinds of foods per week. This way we are ensuring that we absorb a full range of nutrients from many different sources, and provide our bodies with the vital fuel it needs to repair and replenish on a daily basis.

Top 5 tips to increase your nutrient absorption

• Create a 7-day menu for your main meals, with the goal of creating as much variety as possible
• Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables wherever possible, including snacks throughout the day
• Try adding more salad and vegetable ingredients to all meals e.g. spinach with your breakfast eggs, salad in your sandwich, crackers topped with an array of fresh ingredients etc
• Enjoy a nice smoothie daily, with your favourite piece of seasonal fruit, kale, spinach, unsweetened yogurt, chia seeds and LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds)
• If purchasing takeaways, look for meals that use non-processed meat, and have a wide variety of salad or fresh vegetables included, like made to order sandwiches, salads, wraps etc.